Excuse me, where's the museum?

Objective & content

This functional language sheet teaches pupils to ask the way politely (Excuse me, where's the museum, please? How do I get to the museum? Is there a bank near here?), to give simple directions (Go straight on. Go past Park Road. Take the first street on the left. It's on your right, opposite the cinema.) and to thank someone (Thank you very much! You're welcome.). Pupils read a dialogue in which Neha, who is new in the town, asks a boy, Dylan, the way to the museum, find the missing words and read the useful phrases, given in a box. By the end, they can ask the way and give directions on a town map.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 is the dialogue, with a picture of Neha and of Dylan: the museum is in High Street, past Park Road and Mill Road, opposite the cinema and five minutes on foot, and there is a bank on the corner of Park Road. Pupils find eight missing words in lines from the dialogue, then read the useful phrases in the box (asking the way, giving directions, saying where a place is, saying thank you). Page 2 has five situations to match to a phrase and six lines to answer by ticking the best reply out of three. Page 3 has a map of the town in the dialogue, with three streets and twelve places. Pupils start at the star, read six sets of directions and write the place they reach. The last task is a role-play: pupils cut out the cards and act out a role-play in pairs, both standing at the star on the map. A is new in the town and asks the way to three places, B gives the directions, then they swap. Every exercise opens with a worked example. The answer key is included; the role-play is free speaking, so any answer that uses the phrases and fits the card is right. The sheet uses the present simple, there is, can and the imperative.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask a few pupils "Is there a bakery near the school? Is it far?" and write the questions on the board.
2. (10 min) Read the dialogue aloud; pupils find the missing words.
3. (5 min) Read the useful phrases in the box with the class; pupils find them in the dialogue.
4. (10 min) Page 2: pupils match the situations to the phrases, then tick the best replies.
5. (10 min) Page 3: pupils follow the directions on the map from the star and write the places.
6. (10 min) Role-play in pairs with the map: A asks the way, B gives directions, then they swap.
7. (5 min) Check with the answer key on page 4.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils read the dialogue aloud in pairs and follow it with a finger on the map.

[A] Pupils write the directions from the star to the post office.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil, and scissors for the role-play cards. Page 4 is the answer key and teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need there is, can, the imperative, left and right, and the words for places in a town. To take it further, pupils draw a plan of the streets near the school and give a partner the way to a place.